=====================================================================
Arsenic Crisis News
October-November 2002 V3 N02
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+ This Issue of ACN

+ Feature Article:

** Online Database of Arsenic Remediation Technologies at MIT

+ Letters From Subscribers

+ Tenders & Vacancies

+ Upcoming Meetings & Conferences
Updated Conference Webpages & Sites

+ Selected Recent Media Articles Online

+ New & Newly Discovered Scientific/Technical Publications
On & Off Line

+ New & Newly Discovered Web Sites & Web Pages
Updated Websites & Web Pages

+ New & Newly Discovered Real World Stuff

+ Publication & Other Details


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ACN is published by the Arsenic Crisis Info Centre, (c) ACIC.
Website http://www.bicn.com/acic. Editor Sara Bennett.

Email addresses appear in this newsletter with a space before & after
the @ symbol. To send email to an address, you must first remove the
spaces.

See end of message for how to subscribe, unsubscribe, submit, etc.

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THIS ISSUE OF ACN

This issue, like the last one, is very long as I am still catching up
from my long hiatus last year. Much of it is recent media articles,
plus News From Bangladesh articles going back to March 2002. My
apologies, but after this the newsletter should be back to its more
usual <10 pages.

The new arsenic-crisis group is up and running with about 1100
subscribers merged from the four previous groups. Thanks to all of you
who have posted information to arsenic-crisis. It seems to be getting
off to a great start, and there seems to be a lot going on that is of
interest to the whole arsenic crisis community.

Bear with me as I figure out how to moderate arsenic-crisis. On the
one hand, it would be great to have an active, lively group. On the
other, too-frequent posts and posts that don't convey much information
eg consisting only of a single, simple question or comment, are
probably a turn-off for many subscribers. I also find I am reluctant
to post messages that are essentially product announcements (for
arsenic removal products, test kits, etc.)

So I am experimenting with answering some posts privately or referring
them another subscriber who can; and incorporating some posts (eg
product announcements) into the newsletter. If you have any thoughts
on this process, let me know.


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FEATURE ARTICLE

http://web.mit.edu/murcott/www/arsenic/index.html

Online Database of Arsenic Remediation Technologies at MIT

This excellent web site at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(project leader Susan Murcott) provides an online database of arsenic
remediation technologies. It covers both arsenic removal and provision
of alternative safe water supplies. There is an excellent overview
page that categorizes technologies into nine groups - oxidation,
coagulation/precipitation, sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, ion
exchange, membrane/reverse osmosis, biological, and other - and
describes how each category works. The database itself currently
documents 44 individual technologies eg SORAS, Jamal Anwar's
Oxidation/Reduction, "Safi" filter, and so on. Documentation for each
technology is substantial, including information on the proponents,
testing-verification-field trials, number of units in use and their
locatin, costs, related publications, etc.

This looks like *THE* place for inventors/manufacturers of arsenic
removal technologies to send their information.


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LETTERS FROM SUBSCRIBERS

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Subscriber feedback on USEPA tested arsenic field test kits

We at ClearWater Filters.com have used the ITS test kits [Industrial
Test Systems, Inc., QuickT test kit arsenic analysis systems] for over
two years, with excellent and verifiable results for <5ppb to over
500ppb.

John Harck
jfharck @ hotmail.com
http://ClearWaterFilters.com


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TENDERS & VACANCIES

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http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/arsenic/research.htm

USEPA National Risk Management Research
Arsenic Rule Implementation Research Program - Research Program Summary

Includes information on their past, current, and future solicitations
related to arsenic removal technologies; Treatment Technology Research
Demonstrations; Environmental Technology Verification Program; Enhanced
EPA Research; Training and Technical Assistance.


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UPCOMING MEETINGS & CONFERENCES AND UPDATED CONFERENCE WEBPAGES & SITES

First Announcement - First International Workshop on Aquifer
Vulnerability and Risk, Salamanca, Gto. México, May 28-30, 2003.

Organized by:

Consejo Técnico de Aguas Irapuato Valle de Santiago, COTAS
Comisión Estatal del Agua de Guanajuato, CEAG
Instituto de Geofísica, UNAM
Red de Vulnerabilidad Acuífera
Instituto Estatal de Ecología de Guanajuato
Municipio de Salamanca, Gto.
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, ESIA-IPN

Objectives: Vulnerable aquifers put groundwater at extreme pollution
risk. Intense abstraction may cause subsidence or may enhance faults
and fractures increasing aquifer vulnerability. The primary objective
of the workshop is to develop a multidisciplinary network forum for
groups working with aquifer vulnerability and risk assessment
methodologies by providing an environment conducive to discussion and
interaction.

Topics: Vulnerability assessment, Aquifer modeling,Model validation
and sensitivity analysis, Geostatistical analysis of aquifer
properties, Subsidence, Risk Assessment, Case Studies

Call for papers: The organizing committee welcomes abstracts for this
workshop. Abstracts must be received by October 25, 2002. An abstract
should not exceed 300 words. Submissions will be peer-reviewed.
Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their submission in early
December 2002. Authors of accepted work will be required to submit an
extended abstract of no more than 10 pages by March 7, 2003 for
publication in the workshop proceedings.

Additional Information:

http:/www.igeofcu.unam.mx/avr03
http:/www cotascerca.org/avr03

Please indicate your interest in the conference by sending email to:
Lic. Carlos Valero at valero @ tonatiuh.igeofcu.unam.mx or at valerom @
mexico.com . Include the following information: Name, Institution,
address, email. Indicate if you are interested in: 1) attending the
Workshop, 2) presenting a paper, and/or 3) receiving a second
circular. If you wish to present a paper, please indicate the topic
and tentative title.


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SELECTED RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES ONLINE

Articles from other sources than News From Bangladesh are presented
first, then the NFB articles. Within these two categories article
appear by publication date, most recent first.

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http://www.worldbank.org/html/opr/procure/MOS/sasia.html

From the World Bank October Monthly Operational Summary:

Bangladesh - Population, Health and Nutrition

(R) Arsenic Public Health: The purpose of the project is to support
arsenic-related public health activities of the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare and NGOs.

Contrary to a previous agreement [cited in the "Websites/Webpages"
section below], the Government recently indicated that the project will
be designed and implemented outside the framework of the Health and
Population Sector Program.

The Government also indicated that the project scope and content would
change to a "curative" project and that the research component would be
downsized.

Given the lack of a "cure" for arsenic related health problems and the
urgent need for research in the field, these alterations along with the
failure to comply with the design framework agreement have stalled
project preparation indefinitely.

The earlier scheduled Board presentation in the third quarter of FY
2003 cannot be met. Environmental Assessment Category C. PID:
BDPE76693. US$ 40.0 (IDA). Consultants will be required. Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, Bldg. 3, Rm. 341, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh,
Tel: (880-2) 861-6979, 861-6708, 861-0469, Fax: (880-2) 8619077,
Contact: Mr. Wahid Khan, Joint Chief, Planning


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http://www.rnw.nl/development/html/bangla020919.html

Poison in the Well - Radio Netherlands, based on a report by Sakil
Faizullah, 26 September 2002


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http://www.who.int/inf-fs/en/feature206.html

Arsenic - mass poisoning on an unprecedented scale. World Health
Organization Fact Sheet No. 206, March 2002.


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-07-n07102002.htm

Differences on arsenic project patched up - 7 Oct 2002.

The government and the World Bank are likely to sign tomorrow an
agreement on extension of the $44.5 million Bangladesh Arsenic
Mitigation Water Supply Project (BAMWSP). At a meeting yesterday
afternoon, Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives
Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday afternoon and the WB officials
resolved that the project should continue....
A number of 'flaws' in the project was identified, he said. "Some of
these have already been redressed and others would be taken care of
soon."

Mannan Bhuiyan defended the government decision to change the BAMWSP
project director. "The government has brought some major changes in the
Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE). There were
allegations of corruption against some officials while promotions for
some others were outstanding.... (The Daily Star)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-07-f07102002.htm

The Arsenic Saga Updated - By Sylvia Mortoza. NFB, 7 Oct 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-06-n06102002.htm

Call to sink tubewells in arsenic-hit areas. BSS (Bangladesh), 6 Oct
2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-05-n10052002.htm

Arsenic affected people demand safe drinking water. BSS (Bangladesh),
5 Oct 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-02-n02102002.htm

No headway in talks on arsenic project funding - 2 Oct 2002.

There has been no development in a crucial meeting between the
government and the World Bank (WB) over the fate of the Tk 189 crore
Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project (BAMWSP) that
formally ended Monday. A meeting to decide whether the WB would
continue funding the project was held yesterday afternoon between the
state minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) and
WB's senior environment specialist Paul Martin.The meeting ended
without any decision on the extension of the project.

The government, however, decided to continue funding the project from
its own sources. A meeting in this regard was held with the state
minister on Monday. Bank officials in the meeting insisted that the
government should complete the listed action plans, if the project is
to receive continued funding. An anonymous source in the bank said,
"The government did not keep its promise to reach the goals, as agreed,
in the four years. So, basically we expected an assurance from the
state minister that the money this time would be utilised as planned."
... (The Daily Star)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-10-01-n01102002.htm

WB pressure on ministry hindering arsenic project - 2 Oct 2002

Public Health Engineering Department officials yesterday said World
Bank's wrong policy and its unwarranted interference in internal
affairs hindered implementation of the arsenic mitigation project.
They were highly critical of the World Bank's local representative for
"unexpected pressure" on the ministry for reinstatement of a Project
Director who was transferred.

The criticism of the World Bank official came at a review meeting on
progress of the projects under the 2002-2003 Annual Development
Programme (ADP) at the conference room of the Local Government
Engineering Department. State Minister Ziaul Huq Zia presided over the
meeting. Poor management, irregularities, involving name-sake NGOs at
various stages have caused financial loss to the government as well as
deprived millions of people of arsenic-free safe water, the meeting
observed.

Started in July 1998, the Tk 179 crore Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation
and Water Supply Project (BAMWSP) was scheduled to be completed in
three years. But so far only 22 percent work has been done and Tk 9
crore out of Tk 43 crore from the government share of the fund for the
project was spent so far. Although there was target to screen arsenic
free tube well in 188 upazilas, it was done in only 42 upazilas, the
meeting noted terming the progress totally 'dissatisfactory.'... (UNB)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-09-27-n27092002.htm

ADB gathering data on arsenic contamination - 27 Sep 2002-10-20

A water resources specialist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Thursday said that the bank was currently studying and gathering
information relating to the arsenic contamination in the underground
water of Bangladesh. "ADB is yet to initiate any programme to assist
Bangladesh in mitigating arsenic problem. We, the ADB, require better
understanding of this problem in this regard," ADB water resources
specialist Wouter Lincklaen Arriens told the newsmen.

The five-day-long Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation Workshop on Water
and Poverty concluded Thursday. Bangladesh Water Resources Planning
Organisation (WARPO) and Brac jointly organised the workshop with
support from the ADB and the governments of the Netherlands and
Denmark.... (The Financial Express)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-09-21-n21092002.htm

Arsenic contaminated tube-well waters create panic - 21 Sep 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-09-19-l19092002.htm

50,000 suffering from arsenic poisoning in Chandpur - 19 Sep 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-08-13-n13082002.htm

Arsenic awareness inadequate among rural people, dialogue told - 13 Aug
2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-08-12-n12082002.htm

Anti-arsenic fight founders; Aid money goes down the drain

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-08-11-n11082002.htm

IDA to provide $40m to fight arsenic

Bangladesh will receive 40 million US dollars from International
Development Agency (IDA), a World Bank Group member, for arsenic
mitigation under a public health project to be undertaken from next
year. The Appraisal date of the Arsenic Public Health Project (APHP),
which will cost 45 million dollars, has been fixed on March 25 next
year when the Bank is due to approve the project. The fund comes in the
form of lending, IDA officials said. The objective of the APHP is to
assist Bangladesh in reducing the incidence and prevalence of diseases
caused by arsenic contamination of drinking water and strengthen
national capacity to address public health aspects of arsenic in the
long term, including the capacity for surveillance, monitoring and
evaluation.

The IDA sources said the project would seek to prevent new cases of
arsenicosis and treat those already affected. The strategies included
behaviour change communication to educate the general people about
arsenic contamination of drinking water, its health effects, means to
avoid exposure to the disease and the facts about realistic treatment
options.

The project also aims at enhancing health sector capacity for the
surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of arsenic-related
diseases along with counselling of patients, promotion of research on
prevalence, incidence and treatment to enable sound public health
planning and intervention, development of patient management tools.

The IDA officials said the strategies would be developed into four
project components while the project would be managed as an integral
part of the Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP), and will
complement arsenic mitigation activities underway within the IDA-
financed Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project (BAMWSP).

The project, however, will not include water testing or provision of
drinking water alternatives, as these activities are being overseen by
Ministry of Local Government and covered under BAMWSP and numerous
local NGO programmes....(BSS)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-07-03-n03072002.htm

Local arsenic testkit developed - 3 Jul 2002

A local pharmaceutical company has developed a cost-effective, user-
friendly arsenic field test kit. This was claimed by the manufacturer
of the kit, General Pharmaceutical Ltd (GPL), at a press conference in
the city yesterday.

The kit, containing various reagents, chemicals and outfit for testing
the presence of arsenic concentration in tubewell water or any sample
of drinking water, is the first of its kind developed using local
technology.

The kit, an improved version of its older model, has been recently
developed and can test one hundred samples on the site wherever the
tubewell is located and the result is instantly given.

"The lowest range of arsenic, the kit can test, is 10 parts per billion
(ppb) and the highest is 3,000 ppb and each test will roughly cost Tk
22 to 25," said Mir Zaki Azam Chowdhury, marketing manager of GPL.

He said each kit will cost around Tk 2,300 compared to imported
portable kits whose cost range is Tk 2,800 and above...."

The test takes just 20 minutes, using a pretreated cotton wool to
overcome any sulfide interference. Exposure to chemical reaction is
minimised....

"The advantage of the kit is that it has only two steps for testing
water samples and unlike the previous model where liquid acid was used,
the new kit has solid acid to avoid any risk of spillage or damage to
skin while testing," said Dr Haq. (The Daily Star)


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-28-n28062002.htm

Arsenic project dumped? - 28 Jun 2002

A US$ 40 million International Development Association (IDA) loan for
an arsenic mitigation project has run into rough weather. In the
absence of any regular department or agency to take its responsibility,
the project has turned into a veritable orphan, informed sources told
The Independent yesterday.

Over the last four years, the Arsenic Mitigation Project has succeeded
in spending only about five per cent of its fund, that too mostly in
the form of office rent, staff salary among others, as there was no
drive for field work....

The BAMWSP was to undertake surveys to properly identify the problems
and viable safe water alternatives in about 200 upazilas out of 265
that were identified as hot spots in respect of arsenic contamination.

Another 45 upazilas were earmarked for work by the Department of Public
Health Engineering (DPHE) and the Unicef (United Nations Children's
Fund), 15 by the World Vision and eight by the Danish International
Development Agency (DANIDA). Work in these upazilas progressed well,
but the nearly 200 upazilas directly under the BAMWSP remained uncared
for....

Informed sources told The Independent that Unicef and DPHE have
completed the screening of all tubewells in the 45 upazilas earmarked
for them, but did not have the funds to initiate testing all tubewells
in the rest of the country. Nor do they have the mandate to do so until
some changes are made in the BAMWSP.

The sources said that because of non-utilisation of the US$ 40 million
IDA loan, donors are refusing to commit fresh money to any organisation
on the plea that those willing to work for arsenic mitigation can make
use of the unutilised funds. But for all practical purposes it is not
available to others.

An official with experience in field work lamented, "We would have been
better placed for support from donors had there been no unutilised IDA
funds for the arsenic mitigation project."

Lack of work during the last four years might have brought many people
taking arsenic contaminated water to the brink of arsenicosis, the
first stage of arsenic- related ailments. They could be cured simply by
ensuring the supply of arsenic-free safe water....

According to Unicef officials, it costs around US$1 to test each
tubewell. Based on this costing they might need barely US$ 8 million to
test all the tube wells now in service. (The Independent )


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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-26-n26062002.htm

Arsenic contamination takes serious turn in Chandpur. (26 Jun 2002).

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-26-n26062002.htm

53.84pc tubewells sealed off

26 Jun 2002 - As many as 554,081 tube wells representing 53.84 per cent
of the total 1,028,137 surveyed so far in 61 districts have already
been sealed off due to arsenic contamination. Minister for LGRD and
Cooperatives Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said this while replying to a
question from Golam M Siraj of BNP from Bogra in the Jatiya Sangsad
Tuesday. "The government has undertaken steps to sink arsenic-free tube
wells in those areas to supply pure drinking water among the common
people," he said. - BSS

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-25-n25062002.htm

Arsenic contamination sharply cuts access to safe water - The
Independent (Dhaka), 25 Jun

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-15-n15062002.htm

WB bails out 4 towns - Daily Star (Dhaka), 15 Jun 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-12-f12062002

Removing arsenic from the human body safely and effectively - Editorial
by Sylvia Mortoza, 12 Jun 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-12-13062002.htm

Arsenic contamination takes serious turn in Narail (12 Jun 2002)

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-11-n11062002.htm

Breakthrough in arsenic removal from human body. 11 Jun 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-11-d11062002.htm

Arsenic in the food chain by Sylvia Mortoza. NFB (Bangladesh), 11 Jun
2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-10-n10062002.htm

Arsenic-contaminated water now being supplied in four towns - Daily
Star (Dhaka), 10 Jun 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-09-n09062002.htm

81 pc Bhanga HTW's arsenic affected, Faridpur workshop reveals - 9 Jun
2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-08-l08062002.htm

96 p.c. tubewells found arsenic contaminated in 12 villages of
Chuadanga. BSS (Bangladesh), 8 Jun 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-06-06-n06062002.htm

Arsenic creeps into food chain, impact on health still unknown. The
Daily Star (Dhaka), 6 Jun 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-05-12-n12052002.htm

109 suffering from arsenicosis in Charghat UZ in Rajshahi. The Daily
Star (Dhaka), 12 May 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-05-11-n11052002.htm

Arsenic panic in Faridpur. The Daily Star (Dhaka), 11 May 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-05-10-n10052002.htm

Arsenic affected people demand safe drinking water. BSS (Bangladesh),
10 May 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-05-07-n07052002.htm

Give us pure drinking water, cry villagers - 85 pc tubewells in
Manikganj union contain arsenic poison. BSS (Bangladesh), 7 May 2002

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-29-d29042002.htm

Arsenic in the groundwater, by Sylvia Mortoza. NFB (Bangladesh), 29
Apr 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-28-n28042002.htm

Govt to promote rainwater as solution to arsenic. BSS (Bangladesh), 28
Apr 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-20-n20042002.htm

14 more arsenicosis patients detected. UNB (Bangladesh), 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-13-e13042002.htm

Spend half of profits to fight arsenic - Speakers urge beverage cos at
a seminar in city. BSS (Bangladesh), 13 Apr 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-12-l21042002.htm

Number of arsenic patients on the rise in Satkhira. BSS (Bangladesh),
12 Apr 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-05-l05042002.htm

Arsenic menace haunts thousands in Meherpur - 80 pc tubewells
contaminated, 40 pc suffer from malady. Bangladesh Observer, 5 Apr
2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-04-02-e02042002.htm

BRRI arsenic laboratory inaugurated. The Independent (Bangladesh), 2
Apr 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-31-n31032002.htm

Excessive arsenicosis [sic] in tubewells: Shariatpur people panicky.
Bangladesh Observer, 31 Mar 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-30-l30032002.htm

Arsenic detected in 8,000 tubewells in Munshiganj. The Independent
(Bangladesh), 30 Mar 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-25-l25032002.htm

Arsenic contamination takes serious turn in Nabinagar. BSS
(Bangladesh), 25 Mar 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-22-n22032002.htm

Go-slow arsenic project worries donors - fund disbursement
unsatisfactory. Daily Star (Dhaka), 22 Mar 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-21-n21032002.htm

Arsenic beyond permissible limit found in water of DTWs. Financial
Express (Dhaka), 21 Mar 2002.

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http://bicn.com/acic/resources/infobank/nfb/2002-03-21-d21032002.htm

Tackling the Arsenic Disaster - Sylvia Mortoza. NFB, 21 Mar 2002.


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NEW & NEWLY DISCOVERED SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS ON & OFF LINE


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Searching for an optimum solution to the Bangladesh arsenic crisis.
Bruce K. Caldwell, John C. Caldwell, S.N. Mitra, and Wayne Smith.
Social Science & Medicine (2002, in press)

Abstract: Thirty years ago Bangladesh experienced very high levels of
infant and child mortality, much of it due to water-borne disease in
deltaic conditions where surface water was highly polluted. In what
appeared to be one of the great public health achievements, 95% of the
population were converted to drinking bacteria-free tubewell water from
underground aquifers. Recently, it has been shown that perhaps 20% of
this water is arsenic contaminated and alternatives to tubewell water
have been sought. This paper reports on two national surveys
collaboratively carried out in 2000 by the Health Transition Centre,
Australian National University and Mitra and Associates, Dhaka: A
census of tubewells and a household survey of tubewell use and
arseniosis. The study found that the tubewell revolution has been
promoted not only by health considerations but also by the demand for a
household water facility and the desire by women to reduce workloads
associated with using surface water. Because of this, and because the
population had absorbed the message about safe tubewell water, it is
argued that the movement away from the use of tubewell water should be
as limited as possible, even if this means using safe tubewells which
are often found in the neighbourhood. To enable such a move the most
urgent need is not changing the source of water but comprehensive
national water testing providing essential information to households
about which wells are safe and which are not.


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Arsenic and other heavy metals in soils from an arsenic-affected area
of West Bengal, India. Tarit Roychowdhury, Tadashi Uchino, Hiroshi
Tokunaga, Masanori Ando. Chemosphere 49 (2002), 605-618.

Abstract: Domkal is one of the 19, out of 26 blocks in Murshidabad
district where groundwater contains arsenic above 0.05 mg/l. Many
millions of cubic meters of groundwater along with arsenic and other
heavy metals are coming out from both the hand tubewells, used by the
villagers for their daily needs and shallow big diameter tubewells,
installed for agricultural irrigation and depositing on soil throughout
the year. So there is a possibility of soil contamination which can
moreover affect the food chain, cultivated in this area. A somewhat
detailed study was carried out, in both micro and macrolevel, to get an
idea about the magnitude of soil contamination in this area. The mean
concentrations (mg/kg) of As (5.31), Fe (6740), Cu (18.3), Pb (10.4),
Ni (18.8), Mn (342), Zn (44.3), Se (0.53), Mg (534), V (44.6), Cr
(33.1), Cd (0.37), Sb (0.29) and Hg (0.54) in fallow land soils are
within the normal range. The mean As (10.7), Fe (7860) and Mg (733)
concentrations (mg/kg) are only in higher side whereas Hg (0.17 mg/kg)
is in lower side in agricultural land soils, compared to the fallow
land soils. Arsenic concentrations (11.5 and 28.0 mg/kg respectively)
are high in those agricultural land soils where irrigated groundwater
contains high arsenic (0.082 and 0.17 mg/l respectively). The total
arsenic withdrawn and mean arsenic deposition per land by the 19
shallow tubewells per year are 43.9 kg (mean: 2.31 kg, range: 0.53-5.88
kg) and 8.04 kg ha-1 (range: 1.66-16.8 kg ha-1) respectively. For the
macrolevel study, soil arsenic concentration decreases with increase of
distance from the source and higher the water arsenic concentration,
higher the soil arsenic at any distance. A proper watershed management
is urgently required to save the contamination.



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NEW & NEWLY DISCOVERED WEB SITES & WEB PAGES
UPDATED WEBSITES & WEB PAGES

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http://www.worldbank.org/pics/pid/bd76693.txt

Project Name: Bangladesh-Arsenic Public Health Project

Funding: The Government of Netherlands is very likely to cofinance 25%
of the project costs. In that case, the IDA Credit would become
reduced by such an amount. Date PID Prepared: July 11, 2002. Bank
Approval Date: March 25, 2003

[...]

3. Rationale for Bank's Involvement

While several other development partners are already supporting arsenic
mitigation activities in Bangladesh, the response so far has been
limited, localized to selected sub-districts and mostly focused on
water supply aspects, with little attention to health issues. Both
Government and non-governmental partners have been working on the
problem in small pockets, without a comprehensive national strategy.

The Bank support to this project is expected to enhance the response
both quantitatively and qualitatively, by mounting a more complete,
national program within the framework of the MOHFW's program of
activities, in coordination with the consortium of donors who support
that program. Bank support will bring additional advantages in areas
of economic analysis, capacity-building and inter-sectoral
coordination. Close cooperation between the Bank task-teams that work
on BAMWSP and APHP (exemplified by considerable overlap of team members
and joint participation in missions of both projects) will help ensure
coordination between the two projects on the Government's part as well;
further, the BAMWSP experience adds significant value in terms of
lessons learnt.

The Bank's access to international experience can help bring a wider
knowledge base to bear on the design and implementation of the project.
During preparation of the analytical paper preceding project
preparation, an internationally recognized expert on the epidemiology
of arsenicosis was included as a peer reviewer. Such access to
international expertise is particularly important for this project,
because so little is known about the epidemiology of arsenicosis and
the vast majority of relevant research has been performed in other
countries (e.g. Taiwan, India, Chile). International expertise will be
utilized in the committee overseeing research under the project Such
international assistance would be obtained through individuals of
repute as well as institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Finally, the project strategy of supporting both epidemiological
surveillance and cost-effective public health interventions will be in
line with the new role of the MOHFW discussed during preparatory
activities for the sector's program beyond June 2003.

4. Description

The project has four components:

(a) behavior change communication (BCC) focusing on risk reduction
strategies and individual responsibility (to complement the information
campaigns carried out by the water sector);

(b) capacity-strengthening, including training programs for all health
care personnel on identifying arsenicosis and counseling patients and
diagnostic facilities;

(c) research on the epidemiology, prevention and management of
arsenicosis, including pilot activities that could yield scientific
data on efficacy, safety, feasibility and costs of treatment options;

(d) management of patients, suffering from the consequences of arsenic
poisening.

This last component will only be initiated as pilots to field test the
feasibility of present treatment options within the public health
system. The project will not include water testing or provision of
drinking water alternatives, as these activities are under the
responsibility of Ministry of Local Government and are being covered
under BAMWSP and numerous local NGO programs.

The BCC component will focus on risk reduction strategies and
individual responsibility. Development of a BCC strategy with
participation by important stakeholders will be necessary. BCC will
educate about arsenic and arsenicosis, including messages about the
non-communicability of the disease, and will urge prevention through
the use of safe water, while ensuring that public expectations about
patient treatment are realistic (in terms of available technology,
costs, etc.) This activity will coordinate with and complement the
information campaigns carried out by the water sector describing water
testing and safe water alternatives and will be reinforced by the
personal interaction by the field health workers. The campaign can
utilize all avenues for public communication, including television,
radio, newspapers, banners, signs, pamphlets, school programs, dramas,
song, and dance.

In view of capacity constraints in the MOHFW to launch effective
communication campaigns and organizational issues lingering from the
restructuring of the "Unified" BCC unit, most of the BCC activities
will need to be contracted out to appropriate firms or organizations in
the non-governmental sector; but the coordination of the activities may
rest with the UBCC unit of MOHFW. This component will begin
immediately and will be nationwide in scope, with local activities
timed to coincide with campaigns for water testing and provision of
safe alternatives whenever possible. Combined with these campaigns
follow up sessions through inter personal communications by field
workers will be organized,

Capacity-strengthening includes human resources, non-human resources
(equipment, supplies and facilities), and systems. Based on
assessments of in-country capacity on various aspects, including
laboratory facilities, behavior change communication, conduct of
training, information systems, procurement and logistics and financial
management, this component would finance the necessary training, system
development (including quality assurance) and minimal infrastructure
development where essential.

The scope and phasing of capacity-building activities will vary
depending on the specific capacity in question and still need to be
detailed. The initial training program for health care providers will
focus on what is currently known about the epidemiology of arsenicosis,
the identification of patients with arsenicosis and those with sequelae
requiring referral to treatment facilities, and counseling patients for
risk reduction, i.e. by using safe water. A need assessment of
training will be worked out.

Awareness of responsibilities of MOHFW staff in addressing the arsenic
crisis needs to be ensured at all levels. All training will include
interpersonal communication skills, and separate technical content will
be prepared for health workers of different categories at the primary,
secondary and tertiary levels of health care. The training will be
conducted by department(s) or institution(s) under MOHFW or contract
agencies (to be decided during project preparation based on assessment
of institutional capacity).

This component will begin immediately and will be nationwide in scope,
with providers in areas where no training has been conducted to be
reached first. A module will also be developed for pre-service
training of health staff so that future generations of health care
providers will also be able to manage and counsel their patients.
Since training in Essential Services for Health Assistants/Family
Welfare Assistants has not been completed yet, there may be an
opportunity to include a module on arsenic in this training.

The research component would focus on questions that must be answered
for informed decision-making within the project and will not encompass
issues that are primarily of academic interest. The agenda will be set
by a committee of national and international epidemiologists with
expertise in arsenic. This committee will be formed under the umbrella
of the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC), which is the primary
organization for overseeing health research in Bangladesh. The agenda
will, at a minimum, include scientific assessments and monitoring of
the percentage of the population exposed to unsafe water and the
incidence and prevalence of arsenicosis and its sequelae, using active
case finding methods, so that estimates can be made of the number of
patients who may require treatment as well as clinical trials of
proposed treatments to assess their effectiveness.

As part of this component, a database of relevant past and ongoing
research in Bangladesh and around the world will be maintained and
publicly disseminated by BMRC to avoid duplication of effort and to
inform research priorities. It is expected that some studies may be
sponsored or commissioned under the APHP, while others will be
sponsored by external institutions such as multilateral aid
organizations and foreign governments. The database will be
constructed during project preparation so that the committee will be
able to begin decision-making immediately.

Also during project preparation, a workshop will be held with World
Health Organization co-sponsorship that will bring together local,
regional, and international medical experts on arsenic to develop
consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and staging of arsenicosis
patients. The applicability of findings will be nationwide in scope.
Pilot treatment activities, however, will be located in "hot-spot"
areas to help those in greatest need. The scope of the patient
management component would depend upon results from the research
component, which would include well-designed clinical trials and pilot
activities.

This component will likely include additional training of health care
providers on identification and management of arsenicosis and its
consequences, and may include supplies and equipment to the health
sector. Which specific treatment regimens might be financed from the
project will depend on their efficacy, safety, operational feasibility,
and costs. Also, once a realistic estimate of case-load exists, an
assessment will be made of the need for arsenicosis patient management
facilities across the country, with a view to strengthening existing
health service facilities (public and non-public) at the appropriate
level(s). Because activities under APHP are to be part of the overall
program of MOHFW, all activities under this component must be of a cost
and scope that is concordant with overall health sector priorities and
policies. (For example, it may be feasible to provide simple
outpatient excisions of localized skin cancers but perhaps not to
provide lengthy courses of treatment with expensive drugs for internal
cancers)

Ultimately patient management will be national in scope, but activities
will begin in districts that have been the hardest hit and then phased
in around the country. Some evaluation/assessment of BCC and training
components will be needed; such assessments will be carried out as part
of preparatory activities.

Another area which needs to be considered during preparation phase is
an assessment of NGO capacity, and how far they will be able to
function within the Bank's procurement guidelines, selection criteria
etc. since it is proposed to utilize their services substantially.

A logical framework (log-frame) exercise was initiated as part of the
identification mission, in a workshop which brought together all major
stakeholders (e.g. government officials, researchers, NGOs, and
potential co-funders), and the rough output is attached (Annex 1). The
further development of the log-frame will be continued in a broad-based
participatory manner during project preparation, so as to ensure both a
wide ownership and a superior product....


-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.wsp.org/english/access/sa.html

Fighting arsenic: listening to rural communities - WSP study
investigates people's preference for arsenic mitigation options and
their willingness to pay

"...Finding the most effective, acceptable and sustainable set of
solutions for [the arsenic] crisis is imperative.

"The search for ... solutions has to-date focused largely on the
'supply side', concentrating on engineering devises for removing
arsenic. There has been less effort to understand preferences of rural
households. This is a critical gap. People's perceptions and
preferences are essential for appropriateness and sustainability of the
proposed alternatives. WSP-SA launched a study to investigate the
above. The study uses the contingent valuation method for assessing
people's preferences for various arsenic mitigation options and their
willingness to pay for such alternatives.

"Important findings of the study include the following:

"1. Communities are reluctant to accept technologies that are less
convenient than the current handpump technology. They overwhelmingly
voiced support for accessing simple, localized piped-water systems in
the rural areas and expressed their willingness to pay for such system.

"2. People opted for piped water - aspiring for better quality of
service -irrespective of the arsenic problem.

"3. The study reiterates the need for offering a menu of choice to the
communities.

"4. The study shows that the level of awareness about arsenic and the
perception of health hazards associated with drinking arsenic
contaminated water is low.

"5. Finally, the study suggests that the arsenic crisis requires a
greater focus on institutional approaches in addition to technological
innovations.

"For more information contact Shafiul Azam Ahmed, Water and Sanitation
Specialist at wspsa @ worldbank.org "


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Message from Malcolm Swanney, Technical Manager, Clearwater Concepts
Pty Ltd, Queensland Australia:

Clearwater Concepts Pty Ltd, Australia, have developed a tablet product
- Clear-Fresh - for treating drinking water to remove arsenic, to
sanitise the water, and to floc impurities out of the water.

The product not only carries out an oxidisation process to remove
arsenic and other heavy metals, but also sanitises drinking water by
destroying E-coli and harmful bacteria. Clear-Fresh has been tested
successfully for the removal of cholera and legionella.

The floccing ability ensures that if polluted water is treated for use
as drinking water then items in suspension are flocced to the bottom to
enable the largest percentage of clean water to be drawn off. One 2.5
gram tablet will treat 25 litres of water. A family using 40 litres of
water a day could treat their water for less than USD25.00 per year.

Clear-Fresh is currently undergoing testing at Deakin University in
Australia, and field trials have been carried out in Bangladesh using a
50% lower active ingredient than what is currently produced. The field
testing in Bangladesh showed reductions in arsenic levels to the limit
of the NIPSOM kit of 0.02 mg/ltrs. The current University testing will
provide us with the total extent of the reduction using Clear-Fresh.

On the completion of further testing of our product, we will apply for
BAMWSP ETV of our technology.

For more information: http://www.roadtech-int.com, tech @ roadtech-
int.com, tel +61-(0)7-5576 6490.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.adedgetech.com

Arsenic Removal Technology

Contact: Kiron Senapati, P.E., Vice President International Business,
AdEdge Technologies Inc., 50 Technology Pkwy. South Norcross, GA 30092,
tel (678) 221-2138, fax (678) 221-2045, Ksenapati @ adedgetech.com


=====================================================================
NEW & NEWLY DISCOVERED REAL WORLD STUFF
Offline-only print publications & newsletters, videos, research in
progress, test kits, removal technologies, etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
NCL (India) User Friendly Field Test Kit for Measurement of Arsenic in
Drinking Water

High lights of NCL developed Arsenic Monitor-2000:
1. User friendly, can be used by villagers
2. No electricity or battery required
3. A calibrated detector tube gives quantitative data of the
arsenic concentration in the water.
4. Time required for each test is less than 10 minutes.
5. Arsenic determination possible at the source
6. Highly sensitive: can detect arsenic at concentration levels
from 5 PPB and above
7. Speciation (i.e. As III and As V) possible
8. Permanent record of each sample with the help of detector tube
9. Detector kits will be used continuously at the installed
arsenic removal systems
10.All reagents are in solid form; no liquid or corrosive reagents used

This kit was developed with financial support from UNICEF

The performance of the Kit was extensively evaluated in Kolkata in
terms of

1. Accuracy
2. Speed
3. Economy
4. User- friendly nature
5. Adaptable at village level monitoring

Cost of each kit is estimated to be less then $100. One kit will be
used for testing 100 water samples. Cost of each sample test will be
less then Rs 20/- compared with Rs. 1300/- per sample by the continuous
hydride generation atomic absorption method. For further details email
to ogbnambiar @ pd.ncl.res.in


=====================================================================
PUBLICATION & OTHER DETAILS

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+ ACN items may be freely reprinted with this attribution: "Source:
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Discussion group at egroups.com -
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